Packaging reel with optical cable winding device

ABSTRACT

A cable packaging and unwinding device. The device enables the exact length of cable necessary for connecting two connection points to be unwound easily and quickly and a residual surplus length of cable to be stowed in a protected area, to prevent the cable from being subjected to any twisting or crushing and to obtain a reliable connection between the two connection points.

The present invention relates to a cable packaging and unwinding device.

The field of the invention is that of cables and more particularly thatof packaging and unwinding cables. It finds a typical application insetting up a connection between two connection points in terminalportions of optical fiber cable networks, for example between aconnection box and an optical point that is situated in a dwelling orbetween an optical point and a user terminal, both of which are situatedwithin a dwelling. Another application is to setting up connections incentral offices between network equipments and optical fiber cables ofthe network. Note that the remainder of the description describes onlythe application to optical fiber cables, because a device of this kindhas the advantage of facilitating the introduction of these cables intodomestic installations. However, it must be clearly understood that theinvention is not limited to this type of cable and may be applied moregenerally to packaging and unwinding any type of filamentary member.

The various stages of laying the terminal portions of a cable networkare still executed conventionally, and largely through manualoperations. Connection operations to connect two points a few meters ora few tens of meters apart by means of optical fiber cables are stillexecuted on-site and consist in cutting the cable to the correct lengthand then preparing the ends of the cable, or of the optical fibers of acable, with a view to connecting the cable or the fibers by means ofconnectors or splices. To allow for reworking and repairs, thoseconnection operations necessitate a length of cable that is slightlygreater than the distance between the two points to be connected. Thatsurplus length is coiled up by hand and stowed in a corner on completionof the connection operations, leading to risks of kinking, stretching,crushing and failing to comply with the specified radii or curvature ofthe cable, leading subsequently to transmission problems. Moreover,those connection operations are sometimes made difficult by theconditions under which they have to be carried out, which makes theresults somewhat hit and miss and further reduces the reliability of theconnections. As a result, the cost of those works represents arelatively large proportion of the total connection cost.

Some network installers have sought to use a cable fitted with aconnector and known as a “jumper” cable. In this case, a jumper cable isused that is longer than the distance between the points to beconnected, and it is necessary to stow the surplus length of cable.

For unwinding lengths of cable, it is known in the art to use devicesconsisting of a spool or a drum that has two winding volumes, in orderto provide access to and to allow unwinding of both ends of a cable. Thecable is wound and unwound manually, with all the attendant risks ofstretching and kinking. What is more, the cables are not protected atthe periphery of the spool, where they are accessible. Those devices arebulky and generally intended for temporary installations, but are notsuited for discreet and permanent stowage of a residual length of cable,for example over several years, either in a dwelling or outdoors.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,983 describes a device for stowing a surplus lengthof an optical fiber cable fitted with a connector at each end. Thedevice takes the form of a flexible support having two chiral circularhalves that have holes at their circumference through which the cableand the connector are passed, the flexible support being slightlytwisted to enlarge the holes. The fact that the device is divided intotwo halves enables two continuous sections of the cable to be unwoundindependently. However, because it necessitates an entirely manualoperation consisting in passing the end of the cable to be unwoundtogether with its connector through a larger or smaller number of holes,that device does not provide for packaging and unwinding a cable easilyand quickly. Manual operation of the device generates a risk of kinkingand twisting the cable which is liable to lead to subsequenttransmission problems. That device is therefore not ergonomic and is notsuited to easy and fast winding and unwinding of cable.

French Patent application no. 2 814 246 describes a device for packaginga surplus length of cable that includes a stowage support consisting ofa flange surmounted by two stowage areas defined by two concentriccylinders which communicate with each other via openings in their walls.Two sections of the surplus length of cable that are continuous witheach other are coiled or wound onto each of two concentric cylindersdefining the two stowage areas. The ends of the cable and the connectorsare stowed inside the internal cylinder. That device can absorb surpluslengths of jumper cable of a few meters. However, the winding operationsare still manual, which implies, in that situation also, risks ofkinking, stretching, and twisting the cable. Moreover, that device isnot adapted to unwinding exactly the required length, since unwinding ismanual, and so a residual surplus length at most equal to the diameterof the external cylinder cannot be stowed correctly and is thereforeexposed to the risk of kinking, crushing, etc. Also, the cable is notcompletely protected, which makes that stowage device difficult to useoutdoors and makes it necessary to place it in a protected place.

Thus the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is thatof proposing a cable packaging and unwinding device comprising a spoolin which there are formed two winding areas for two continuous sectionsof a cable and a stowage area for the ends of the cable sections,enabling the exact length of cable necessary for connecting twoconnection points to be unwound easily and quickly and a residualsurplus length of cable to be stowed in a protected area, to prevent thecable from being subjected to any twisting or crushing and to obtain areliable connection between the two connection points.

According to the invention, the solution to the stated technical problemis that the spool takes the form of a drum having two lateral flangesand an interior flange, said interior flange defining the two windingareas and including an opening forming a passage for the cable betweensaid two winding areas, said two lateral flanges have a notch forming apassage for each cable section from the stowage area to the exterior ofthe spool, and the spool is mounted to rotate about an axis inside asubstantially cylindrical casing in which there are formed openingsforming a passage for each cable section.

Thus, since the spool is rotatably mounted, either section of the cablecan be unwound without any manipulation of the cable, which eliminatesall risk of kinking or twisting. The device also enables the cablesections to be unwound independently of each other and the exact lengthneeded to connect two points can be unwound with the surplus lengthsstored in the spool disposed inside the casing, which protects the cableand prevents it from being subjected to any twisting or crushing.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent onreading the following description, which is given by way of illustrativeand non-limiting example and with reference to the appended drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a first embodiment of a cable packaging andunwinding device,

FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the FIG. 1A device,

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the FIG. 1A device containing an optical fibercable and a support for the device,

FIG. 3A is a diagram of a second embodiment of a cable packaging andunwinding device,

FIG. 3B is an exploded perspective view of the FIG. 3A device,

FIG. 4 is a part-sectional perspective view of a different embodiment ofa spool of the FIG. 3A device,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a casing of either embodiment of thedevice, and

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a cable installation effected by means of eitherembodiment of the cable packaging and unwinding device.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a cable packagingand unwinding device 100 which includes a spool 110 inside asubstantially cylindrical casing 150. The spool 110 is mounted in thecasing 150 so that it can rotate freely about an axis A. The casing 150includes openings 154 and 155 through which two continuous cablesections can pass. The expression “two continuous cable sections” meanstwo cable portions each terminating in one end of the cable.

FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the FIG. 1A device and showsthe structure of this kind of device more clearly, enabling it to beexplained better.

The device comprises a spool 110, a casing 150 and two covers 140. Thespool 110 is formed of a hollow drum 119 defined at its ends by twolateral flanges 111, 112. An interior flange 113 divides the volumebetween the two lateral flanges into two winding areas Z1, Z2 whichcommunicate with each other via an opening 115 which allows the cable topass from one winding area to the other whilst maintaining a radius ofcurvature that is suitable for the cable. In the case of an opticalfiber cable, the radius of curvature must not be less than 25millimeters (mm) for a signal to be transmitted correctly.

A cable is wound in the factory into each winding area Z1, Z2. Thelength of cable stowed in this way in each of the areas Z1 and Z2 isdefined by their total volume and by the position of the interior flange113. This position is such that a few meters are stowed in the area Z1and a few tens of meters are stowed in the other area Z2, for example.

Respective notches 116, 117 are formed at the periphery of the lateralflanges 112, 111 to enable two cable sections to be passed out of thecasing from a stowage area 130. A notch is provided in each of thelateral flanges. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, the interior of thedrum 119 constitutes the stowage area 130 for both cable ends, theconnectors, and/or the splices.

The notches 116, 117 communicate with a groove 120 that is formed in thethickness of each lateral flange 111, 112 and guides a cable sectionfrom the periphery of the lateral flange 111 to the stowage area 130 andretains the cable section end in the stowage area during rotation of thespool.

The groove 120 has an entry 121 of angular or conical shape, forexample, to maintain a radius of curvature that is suitable for thecable, and a rim 122 which consists of an increased thickness of thematerial of the flange equal to the depth of the groove and slightlygreater than the diameter of the cable, in order to prevent the cablecoming into contact with external elements, such as the casing 150 orthe covers 140, which could lead to crushing of the cable when windingit or unwinding it.

Moreover, the groove 120 can take the form of a series of curves andcounter-curves, for example an S-shape, to hold the cable better. Thegroove 120 can further have rough faces so as to hold the cable betterthrough friction.

The two covers 140 are identical and their function is to close theopenings in the drum 119 to protect the connectors or the splices thatare stowed therein and to hold the residual surplus length of cablecoiled inside the device. The covers are retained by a wall 141 at theperiphery of the cover which nests inside the internal cylinder of thedrum 119 and has a discontinuity 143 intended to be placed over theentry of the cable into the groove 120, so as to prevent crushing of thecable. An opening 142 facilitates removal of the cover by means of ahook or a finger, for example. Of course, the covers may take otherforms. One variant consists in providing a cover with an articulatedflap for closing the opening 142. Another variant consists in providingcovers without openings that nest over the cylindrical exterior walls ofthe casing 150.

There is also a recess 114 in each lateral flange 111, 112. The shape ofthis recess is of no importance provided that it is able to receive afitting adapted to serve as a handle for rotating the spool 110.

FIG. 2 shows this second embodiment of the device into which a cable 10is wound. In this figure, the ends of two continuous cable sections S1,S2, each fitted with a connector C1, C2, have been taken out of theirstowage area and are ready to be pulled gently to unwind them. To enablethese cable sections S1, S2 to be extracted from the casing 150, it isnecessary to line up the notches in the lateral flanges with respectiveassociated openings 154, 155 in the casing 150 by rotating the spool110.

When the two cable sections S1, S2 have been extracted, rotating thespool one way, for example clockwise in FIG. 2, unwinds a first cablesection S1 and winds on the other cable section S2, whereas rotating thespool in the opposite direction, i.e. counter-clockwise in FIG. 2, windsin the first cable section S1 and unwinds the second cable section S2.

A rib 156 at the outside edge of the casing 150 guides and locates thecasing in a support 200. The support 200 is U-shaped, for example, itstwo sides having a groove 211 in which the rib 156 on the casing 150 canslide. In this case the support 200 may be substituted for one of thecovers 140. Orifices 211 are formed in the back of the support 200 forfastening it to a wall, for example to a baseboard. Alternatively, thesupport 200 may be integrated into a user terminal, by direct moldingduring fabrication of the terminal or by sticking it thereto.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are respectively a perspective view and an explodedperspective view of a second embodiment of a device 300 for packagingand unwinding cable or any type of filamentary member. In these figures,the same reference numbers are used to designate the same items as inFIGS. 1A and 1B. This device also includes a spool 110 retained in acasing 150 in such a manner that it can rotate freely about an axis A.

The notches 116, 117 in the lateral flanges 112, 111 include inclinedflats 118 to comply with constraints in respect of the radius ofcurvature of the cable when it is being unwound or wound on. Theseinclined flats are not shown on the device from FIGS. 1A and 1B, butthey may also constitute an advantageous feature of the firstembodiment.

In this second embodiment, it is essentially the stowage areas for theends of the cable, whether fitted with connectors or not, that aredifferent.

Two stowage areas 340, 360 are preferably disposed head-to-tail insidethe drum 119 of the spool 110 for storing respective ends of the cablewith an associated connector. These stowage areas are rotatable aboutthe axis A.

Only the stowage area 340 is described hereinafter, since the otherstowage area 360 is completely identical to it. It includes acylindrical support 341 adapted to be housed in the drum 119 of thespool. A stowage cavity 342 in the support 341 accommodates one end ofthe cable and its connector. A guiding cam 343 and retaining means 370are fixed to the support 341. A recess 344 in the thickness of the cam343 receives an appropriate fitting adapted to serve as a handle fordriving the guiding cam 343 and the cylindrical support 341 in rotationabout the axis A.

The guiding cam 343 preferably has a thickness at least equal to thediameter of the cable, to prevent the cable from jamming when it isbeing unwound or wound in. It also has a lateral wall 345 inclined at aminimum angle of 15° to prevent the end of a cable section escapingunintentionally from the stowage cavity 342.

In FIG. 3B, the stowage area retaining means comprise a screw 370, forexample. In this embodiment, the cam 343, 363 and the cylindricalsupport 341, 361 of each stowage area 340, 360 have a central hole 346,366 passing through the rotation axis A and adapted to receive the screw370. The hole in the first stowage area is smooth, for example, whereasthe hole in the other area is threaded. In this case, when the screw istightened, it fastens the two stowage areas 340, 360 together with thespool 110 sandwiched between them. The mobile cams 343, 363 aretherefore fastened to the spool 110 or not according to whether thescrew 370 is respectively tighter or looser.

Accordingly, when the screw is tightened, a surplus length of cable maybe retained in the device, the connectors are stowed in the stowagecavities, and the spool 110 is rotated with the two cams.

With the screw slightly loosened, the stowage areas 340, 360 can rotateabout the axis A independently of each other. This enables a surpluslength of cable to be drawn in again on unwinding a first cable sectionand without affecting the other cable section.

In a variant shown in FIG. 4, the two mobile stowage areas are no longerinterconnected by a screw; instead, they are both fixed to the spool 110by means of an interleaving system. In this case, a groove 162 for eachstowage area is formed on the inside wall of the drum 119 and is adaptedto receive an elastic tongue 161 on the perimeter of the cylindricalsupport 341, 361 of each stowage area 340, 360 that is adapted tointerengage in the groove 162 to hold each stowage area firmly in place.

In a variant also shown in FIG. 4, a ratchet system may be providedenabling each stowage area to rotate in one direction, in order tomaintain the end of the stowed cable under light tension, and to preventrotation in the opposite direction, with the attendant risk of causingkinking of the cable or removal thereof from the inclined wall 345.

To this end, notches 165 are provided on the perimeter of the insidewall of the drum 119 of the spool 110, with a pitch of 2 mm, forexample. A pawl 166 fastened to the cylindrical support 341 engages inthese notches 165, preventing the cylindrical support 341 from rotatingin one direction, for example counter-clockwise in FIG. 4, but allowingit to rotate in the opposite direction, i.e. clockwise in FIG. 4, todraw in a surplus length of cable and to maintain it lightly tensioned.The pawl 166 is preferably elastic.

When a cylindrical support 341 is fitted into its housing, it isnecessary to depress the elastic tongue(s) 161 and the elastic pawl 166to retract them to allow the cylindrical support 341 to penetrate intothe interior of the drum 119. The cylindrical support then penetratesinto its housing, after which, when they are lined up facing the groove162, the elastic tongues 161 relax and penetrate into the groove,thereby retaining the cylindrical support 341. The elastic pawl 166 alsorelaxes and takes up a position bearing against the inside of thenotches 165.

The lateral flanges of the spool 110 are of substantially circular shapeand thus retain the spool when it rotates inside the casing 150, whichis shown in detail in FIG. 5. The substantially cylindrical internalwall 157 guides the spool. Abutments are provided to retain the spool inits casing and may take various forms. FIG. 5 illustrates one example.On one side an abutment 151 consisting of an increased thickness allaround the perimeter of the casing, for example, prevents the spool fromescaping on this side by retaining one of the lateral flanges 111. Otherlugs 152 on the other side of the casing retain the other lateral flange112, for example. These lugs 152 may be elastic, for example, so thatthe spool can be withdrawn from its casing by flexing them.

The lugs 153 may instead be on the internal wall 157 of the casing sothat they bear on the interior flange 113, instead of on the other sideof the casing. In this case, sufficient lugs 153 are offset with respectto the opening 115 of the interior flange 113. This variant has theadvantage of using a spool of the same thickness as the casing and thusof increasing the ratio of the stowage volume to the total volume of thepackaging and unwinding device.

The lateral openings 154 and 155 have sections of the cable passedthrough them during installation operations.

A cover, not shown, nests over the external wall of the casing, forexample, on the side opposite that protected by the support 200, tocover and protect the spool.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a cable installation using either embodiment of acable packaging and unwinding device. A first step of connecting aterminal T situated in the home of a user to a connection box 20, forexample, by means of an optical fiber cable C stowed in a cablepackaging and unwinding device 100, 300, consists in extracting a firstend E1 of the cable C from the device and connecting it to theconnection box 20. A second step consists in unwinding the first sectionS1 of the cable C by rotating the spool 110 inside the casing, until itreaches a point in the vicinity of the terminal T to be connected. Thenext step consists in extracting the other end E2 of the cable by liningup a notch in one lateral flange with a corresponding opening in thecasing. The second section S2 of the cable is then unwound by pullinglightly on the cable, until it reaches the terminal T, to which it isconnected. The device may then be moved in order to fix it to abaseboard, for example; while the device is being moved, the cablesection S1 is wound in, for example, whereas the cable section S2 isunwound.

The various embodiments and variants of the device that are describedabove are merely illustrative examples and the invention is in no mannerlimited to those examples. This device has the advantage of beingcompact and discreet. It enables several tens of meters of optical fibercable to be stowed within a compact overall size, as it fits in the palmof the hand. It therefore facilitates the introduction of optical fibercables into domestic installations.

1. A cable packaging and unwinding device (100; 300) comprising a spool (110) in which are formed two winding areas (Z1, Z2) for two continuous sections (S1, S2) of a cable and at least one stowage area (130; 340, 360) for at least one end of one of the two cable sections, wherein the spool (110) takes the form of a drum (119) having two lateral flanges (111, 112) and an interior flange (113), said interior flange (113) defining the two winding areas (Z1, Z2) and including an opening (115) forming a passage for the cable between said two winding areas, and said two lateral flanges (111, 112) having a notch (116; 117) forming a passage for each cable section (S1, S2) from the stowage area (130; 340, 360) to the exterior of the spool (110), and in that the spool (110) is mounted to rotate about an axis (A) inside a substantially cylindrical casing (150) in which are formed openings (154, 155) forming a passage for each cable section (S1, S2).
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein a groove (120) is formed in the thickness of each lateral flange (111, 112) and in line with a notch (116; 117) to enable the end of a cable section to be retained in the stowage area (130) during rotation of the spool (110).
 3. A device according to claim 1 wherein a recess (114) in the thickness of each lateral flange (111, 112) is adapted to receive a fitting serving as a handle for rotating the spool (110).
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the stowage area (340, 360) comprises a cylindrical support (341, 361) in which there is formed a stowage cavity (342) and to which are fixed a guiding cam (343, 363) and retaining means (370, 166).
 5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the guiding cam (343, 363) is rotatable about the axis (A) and entrains with it a cylindrical support (341, 361).
 6. A device according to claim 4 wherein the guiding cam (343, 363) has a thickness at least equal to the diameter of the cable and an inclined lateral wall that prevents the end of a cable section escaping from the stowage cavity (342).
 7. A device according to claim 5 wherein a recess (344) in the thickness of the guiding cam (343, 363) is adapted to receive a fitting serving as a handle for rotating the cam.
 8. A device according to claim 5, wherein two stowage areas (340, 360) are disposed head-to-tail inside the drum (119) and the retaining means take the form of a screw (370) disposed along the rotation axis (A) and adapted, when tightened, to fasten the two stowage areas to the spool (110) and, when loosened, to allow the two stowage areas (340, 360) to rotate independently of each other.
 9. A device according to claim 5, wherein the retaining means of each stowage area (340, 360) include at least an elastic tongue (161) fastened to the cylindrical support (341) adapted to interengage in a groove (162) on the internal wall of the drum (119).
 10. A device according to claim 5, wherein a ratchet system comprising a pawl (166) fastened to the cylindrical support (341) and in bearing engagement with notches (165) on the internal wall of the drum (119) allows rotation of the stowage areas (340, 360) in one direction and prevents rotation thereof in the opposite direction.
 11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the notches (116, 117) in the lateral flanges have inclined flats (118).
 12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the substantially cylindrical casing (150) has on its internal wall (157) abutments (151, 152, 153) for retaining the spool (110) in its casing. 